Disclaimer-I don't own Digimon.
-------------------------------------
Sharing Is Caring
-------------------------------------
"Where's the sword?"
"Shinya's got it!"
"Shinya! How many times do I have to tell you to stop playing with sharp objects?"
"Takuya, calm down. He'll le-oh!"
"Great going, shrimp. Need a Band-Aid?"
"I'm not shrimp! I'm krill!"
"Hey, krill! Hand the sword over!"
"But I want to play with it!"
Kouichi let out a small sigh and gave in. "Only a while longer," he told Shinya, giving the boy a look that clearly was a warning.
In reply, Shinya beamed and continued slashing the sword forward, occasionally charging towards Takuya while letting out a battle cry, only to fall backward.
"He can't support the weight yet," Kako remarked. Her grin was half exposed, one eyebrow was raised, and amusement twinkled brightly in her eyes. "Kind of amusing."
Kouichi shrugged. "Yeah..." His voice trailed off with his eyes, moving from Shinya to the sky. "It's getting dark..."
A dull thud startled Kouichi. He whipped his head to look to his side, finding Kako on her back, rubbing the back of her head and scowling up at the sky. It was hard enough to swallow the comment, but the smile was harder. Lips pressed tightly together, Kouichi helped her back up. "Be careful," he murmured.
"Yeah, yeah..." Kako muttered, accepting his hand and shaking her head. Quietly, she agreed, "It is pretty dark."
"Perfect for Lucemon's lot to attack us now."
She sent a sharp look in Kouichi's direction. "You don't think-"
He shrugged again. "It's a possibility," Kouichi said softly, shutting his eyes.
Kako let out an uneasy laugh. "Um, remember those empty packages we got from Ichiro? What knowledge was he talking about?"
An irritable look passed Kouichi's face as he opened his eyes and muttered, "I don't know."
"Oh."
Silence passed between them, creating a small rift. Without warning, Kouichi began, "Sometimes I wonder if we're even existing right now. Are we real? In the Digital World, we're digital, aren't we? Everything is, right? But in the Digital World, I don't feel digital. I just am. Here...I..."
Silence befell them again. Kako stood up and stared down at Kouichi with uncertainty. He needs time to think, she told herself, walking to find Shinya and get the sword back. After all, he might have impaled Takuya three times by now.
Kouichi was slow to stand up. An internal debate seemed to be rushing through him, and it wasn't just on the issue of whether to sit or stand. Finally, he kept sitting down and shut his eyes. I wonder where he is, he thought, mind drifting to his brother. Memories kept coming at the most inopportune times.
"Real pretty, isn't it?"
"I guess," Kouichi muttered, not in the mood to talk. His eyes opened and turned to Naoko. "Are you guys seriously going to fight Lucemon?"
"Of course!" she snorted, looking at him in her own little exasperated way. "What do you think we'd do? Stand at the sidelines?" When Kouichi remained quiet, Naoko let out a laugh. "Hah! Fat chance. Besides, that isn't Kanaye's way..."
"What?" Kouichi asked, eyes widening.
Their gazes locked. "If he has a debt to pay, he'll pay it," Naoko said in a low voice, "and Kanaye plans to pay all of it."
Still startled, Kouichi whispered, "There's no debt. Anywhere."
Naoko just smiled. "You'd be surprised," she murmured. "Visiting hours are up. Lucemon'll be here soon." She stood up, waved carelessly, and walked off to find Fujitaka.
Kouichi rose to his feet soon after. Debt? He shook his head. It didn't seem like Kanaye at all.
-------------------------------------
So many things...a balance...
Order. Restoration. Justice. Time.
Time...
"Do we have time?" Rai whispered softly. Seated on the only boulder miles around, she could keep a watch on what was happening. Currently, the Kanbara brothers were rolling about in their battle, with Kouichi's sword laying precariously about. Izumi and Tomoki were trying with their best efforts to stop the two, and Junpei had fallen asleep. Kako and Hideki were having another sibling fight, occasionally turning to Kanaye for help, Naoko had fallen asleep by Fujitaka whom Ritsuo was talking to.
They were all present and accounted for. Rai let out a sigh. "Just the twins," she muttered. "It's always th-...wait...where's Kouichi?" she suddenly exclaimed, sitting up straight and scanning the land before her. Shinya, Takuya...Fujitaka...Kako...the sword...Junpei...where is he? Biting her lower lip, Rai did her best not to panic.
A quiet voice made her jump. "What about me?" Kouichi asked, staring up at Rai with tired eyes.
She was still recovering from shock when she saw his eyes. When her heart finally stopped hammering in her chest, Rai forced a smile and shook her head. "Nothing...nothing..." she tried, but the words came out dry and forced.
"Everyone's pretty tired," Kouichi murmured. "It's getting dark. Naoko even thinks Lucemon will attack soon."
Another sigh escaped Rai. "It is his style," she admitted morosely. "It won't be too long now. What do you think?"
Kouichi remained quiet. Rai had to look at him to make sure the boy was still awake. "Kouichi...?" she tried again.
Finally, in a voice so quiet Rai had to lean down to hear, he murmured "I don't know."
Nothing else? She nodded and returned her gaze to the space in front of her just in time to see Takuya trip into one of the Drimogemon's holes. A wince ran through her head. Rai turned back to Kouichi and, for the sake of conversation, asked, "Don't know about what?"
Her question was met with another question. "Aren't you afraid?" asked Kouichi, eyes narrowing childishly onto Rai in curiosity.
She was taken aback. "What?"
Kouichi lowered his head and asked, "Aren't you afraid that...you'll lose something? Not just a person...but a feeling...something you have right now, that you can feel right now, but probably won't be able to feel after this?" His voice was surprisingly loud, considering he was looking down.
A feeling...Hah, no duh? A pink tinge appeared on Rai's cheeks. She turned her gaze back and watched Tomoki and Junpei, now wide-awake, pull up Takuya. "I don't...know what you mean."
"That's okay. I don't either," the boy confessed, still not looking up.
Her eyes slipped shut and all she could hear was her steady breathing as she tried to gather her courage to tell the truth. When she did, Rai kept her eyes shut and said, "I know...what it's like. We all lose feelings as we grow up. But there will be ways to remember those feelings. A book, a song...a place. Even a person. Memories...you just can't forget a feeling like that. It'll always be in the recesses of-" She stopped and looked to the side, where Kouichi should have been. A twitch.
Hideki was looking up at her, eyes shut and nodding. His arms were folded across his chest. When he noticed she stopped speaking, he cracked one eye open. "You're done?"
Rai reddened. "You...little..." She hopped off the rock and landed clumsily on her feet, causing her to trip forward onto Hideki. They both fell down, Rai on Hideki, until she rolled off, stood up, and kicked his side. "Idiot!"
"Ow! I give up! I was just going to get you because twerp didn't have the courage to tell you about that..." Hideki pointed to the sky, where dark clouds were centered right above them. "Kind of suspicious, wouldn't you think? I've never seen black clouds. Especially not ones with wings." He pushed her foot away and stood up.
Rai stared unblinkingly. "So...soon?" she whispered.
He just looked at her expectantly. "So?"
"But..."
A yell caught their attention.
"It's Kouji!"
Someone...someone...Takuya! Recognizing the voice, she yelled back, "Don't go anywhere! Just stay together in case!" Rai ran forward, making sure Hideki was behind her.
They were all grouped together in front of the sword, Kouichi at the front, glaring at his possessed twin. "Duskmon," the boy growled, eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Kouichi, calm down," Kako hissed. She stood behind him, a disturbed look on her face.
Rai pushed her way to the front. "Duskmon?" she repeated. "I'll remember never to let you ten light-years within our information again."
A chuckle escaped Kouji. Kouichi shook his head and said, "So you can't digivolve then?" It was more of a statement.
"Actually..." Kouji lifted a hand.
Kouji. I can't call him that anymore, Kouichi thought, withdrawing his D-Tector and bringing out his sword from that.
"What a fitting weapon."
Kouichi's eyes widened at his mistake. The other sword! He nearly dropped the one in his hand in an effort to reach the other.
"Yes, for a fitting match, wouldn't you say?" said Kouji. His hand clamped down on the hilt of the sword, which shone an almost obsidian black.
"It changed color," Kouichi noted, unsure of what to think.
Kouji just smirked. "Look at your own blade." In Kouichi's hand, the blade had turned a slightly transparent white. "Indeed, fitting. Army of Darkness," he murmured, pointing the blade at Kouichi. Then, using his free hand, he pointed at himself. "Army of Light. Pity it isn't opposite day." The smirk turned into a sneer. "Unfortunately, we won't be able to battle at the moment. Our fight awaits, Kouichi." The free hand turned, palm facing towards Kouichi.
"Right now!" Kouichi yelled, taking a step to charge at Kouji. He stopped in hesitation. If I hurt him, will I hurt Kouji? The thought scared him. Brushing it aside, he took another step forward and stopped.
Eyes widened. Gasps were heard.
Under his feet, all Kouichi could see was black. He swallowed and looked up. "What...are..." he tried, but his throat turned dry, refusing him the ability to speak.
"Until next time," Kouji whispered, smiling that sickening smile.
All Kouichi remembered next was darkness. Darkness, and an empty stomach.
-------------------------------------
Kouji stared furiously at the pink digimon in front of him. "Go away!" he yelled.
Piximon, fluttering in the air above the bandana box, stared from the box to Kouji. "Doesn't work that way."
He wasn't sure what was possessing him then, but Kouji pushed Piximon down into the box, not caring if bandanas spilled out in the process. "Get back in there!" he screamed, trying to put the flaps back on.
Eventually, after a few scratches and a well-aimed psy bomb from Piximon, Kouji was on the ground and Piximon was glaring at the boy. "Hmph! Don't you have any manners?"
Several times, the bandana boy opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it. Looking away from Piximon, Kouji murmured, "You don't remember?"
"Remember what?"
"I killed you."
Piximon stared at Kouji for a long while before bursting out into laughter.
Kouji scowled at this and stood up. The anger quickly dissipated at the sight of the digimon. "It's not funny," he insisted in a weak voice. For some reason, he wanted to laugh too. Maybe it was the hopelessness of the situation, or that he had gone crazy. He wasn't sure. He wanted to laugh.
"If you killed me, how would I remember? As far as I know, I've been in the Digital World all my life. Maybe another Piximon?" Piximon tilted his body to the side and stared at Kouji curiously. "You don't seem like a murderer, anyway."
At this, Kouji blushed. "W-well...I knocked y-I mean...Piximon out. Duskmon..." I feel like I'm talking to a kid. Shrugging, Kouji muttered, "Duskmon's possessing my body. He's the one that actually killed Piximon, but it's because I asked him to." Here he paused and decided he had volunteered enough information.
Piximon wasn't the least dissatisfied. "I see," the digimon said slowly.
"So how'd you come out of the box?" asked Kouji, raising an eyebrow.
Beaming up at Kouji, the pink digimon just shrugged. "I don't know!" he laughed.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW?" Again, whatever had possessed him before returned. Kouji yanked on Piximon's wings gently, just hard enough to hurt the digimon.
Piximon used his staff to free himself. Kouji winced, rubbing his hand as the digimon flew onto his desk and stared at him, satisfied. "I was hoping you knew, but...we get to be buddies now! Let's solve the mystery together!"
I preferred the old Piximon, Kouji thought, staring at Piximon in dread. How much longer?
-------------------------------------
Kako yawned and rolled over in the bed. Somewhere, she heard a bell ring, and guessed it was an alarm. No school, she told herself. I'll sleep as long as I want to.
A muffled, drowsy giggle escaped her at the thought of missing school. Again, she rolled over in the bed and half opened her eyes. A blurry image of a boy was in front of her. Who...is...this? Her eyes opened fully, and she nearly screamed.
Bad dream, Kako told herself, sitting up in bed and glaring at Kouji. "What's with you? Where's Kouichi?" she demanded.
Kouji rose one eyebrow. "Kouichi...?" he echoed. His eyes held surprise. "Kouichi's gone, Kako."
For a while, Kako stared at him, unsure of what to believe. He didn't sound at all like a possessed Kouji, and if it was a dream, it was a pretty realistic one. She must have pinched herself over ten times by now.
"What do you mean he's gone?" Kako spat, rising her to feet.
He took a step forward, and she fell back onto the bed, surprised. "He's gone, meaning he's gone. Kouichi's not here anymore..."
"TOO CLOSE!" Kako yelled, using her hand to push his shoulder and send him spinning away. That accomplished, she jumped onto the bed and glared down at him. "You're a horrible actor, Duskmon! The real Kouji wouldn't be so...perverted!"
Cursing, Kouji pushed away from the wall and looked up at her. "My, my...nothing gets past you."
Kako just stuck out her tongue.
"But really, he'll be as good as gone soon. You owe me a lot more than that last favor, Kako," he murmured, taking a seat in a nearby chair that Kako was sure hadn't been there before.
Taking this as a civilized act, Kako sat down on the edge of the bed. "What are you playing at? You weren't this powerful before," she said, still glaring at him.
Shrugging, he replied, "I wasn't a lot of things before. Especially not Kouji. You'd be surprised to learn how perverted he can be. Back on track, possessing a body disables digivolution if you're in the real world. To compensate for this weakness, Lucemon has given me a certain amount of power."
Her eyes were tiring of constant glaring. Kako gave up glaring and muttered in an annoyed voice, "Yeah, and then what?"
He hadn't been meant to hear that, but Kouji did, and laughed. "And then I have the ability to make all your lives miserable. You're at your weakest now, you realize." He paused, awaiting her response.
"I am not!" Kako shouted furiously, jumping to her feet. It was just as he expected. She would throw a tantrum until she realized she couldn't do anything. "I bet I could beat you up right now!"
Instead of doing what he usually would have done, like laugh, Kouji shook his head. "You're separated from your friends. What can you accomplish even if you managed to defeat me?"
Kako opened her mouth, but nothing came out. "Oh," she mumbled in defeat, realizing his point. "I see..."
"Precisely. Now what do you plan to do about it?" He sat back in the chair, arms folded, gazing at Kako, observing her as she was observing him in her own manner.
She sighed and fell back on the bed. "You're weird," Kako muttered, staring at the ceiling vacantly. "You know that, though. I've got just one question, and based on that I'll figure out what to do."
A snort escaped Kouji. "What is it?"
Kako sat up. Her eyes bore into the lifeless ones of Kouji's, searchingly. "Whose side are you on, Duskmon?" she queried, standing up and walking up to him.
He seemed troubled for a second-almost human. Before Kako could notice anything else, Kouji's eyes shut, and his face became calm. With a small laugh, he replied, "Funny thing is, I'm not so sure myself." And then his eyes opened. "So what will you do now?"
"Actually, I was hoping you'd pick one or the other," Kako admitted. Biting her lower lip, she took a step back. "But...better safe than sorry, right?" A forced grin appeared.
Kouji seemed smug himself. "You're a smart girl, Kako. Pity, really," he told her in a soft voice. One hand raised.
Kako's eyes widened.
The next thing she knew, her world was gray.
-------------------------------------
"Everyone okay?" Takuya whispered into the darkness. He cursed, being unable to see, and fumbled around to find his pockets, and then his D-Tector. Seconds later, as Agunimon, a flame lit up the cavern for him to see.
As far as he could tell, everyone was present and accounted for, save Hideki, Rai and Kako. Takuya shrugged this off; he knew very well Kako could take care of herself, and he didn't doubt Hideki and Rai one bit.
Slowly, Agunimon made his way to the others, collected a few stray sticks along the way. He threw them into the center and lit them, then de-digivolved, joining the miserable little circle and the silence.
"We're doomed," Ritsuo stated flatly.
In response to this, the mood became even glummer, and Naoko, after harshly reprimanding Ritsuo's comment, said aloud, "We can't get down because of this. At least we're alive."
The silence grew heavy with uncomfortable shiftings. "Yeah, but where are we?" someone retorted.
Naoko let out a frustrated growl. "Fujitaka, if that's you, I'm going to..."
"Well where are we?" the boy snapped back.
"I don't know!" Naoko shouted. "Do you expect me to know? I'm as clueless as you! There! I said it! Are you happy?"
The silence fell again, lasting longer than ever.
After a while, Junpei sighed. "As stated by Edward Grey, 'The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again ever in our lifetime.'"
Falling silent, Tomoki looked down at his shoes. Kouichi, unable to stand the silence yelled, "Well we saw them lit! This isn't World War I, Junpei! This is a fight for the Digital World! Obviously, the lamps were flickering!"
Takuya allowed a determined smile on his face. "Obviously, they were lit. But the slightest breath blew it out. And we're gonna relight those lamps."
"What a stupid analogy, but sure! Let's do it!" Shinya agreed.
His brother's gaze hardened. Before he could open his mouth, Takuya caught Izumi's gaze and smiled instead. Giving his brother a curt nod, Takuya murmured, "Only if you promise not to interfere."
Shinya gave his brother a hug. "I promise! It'll be like I'm not even here!"
"Great!" Takuya said, reenergized. "So where the hell are we anyway?"
"Drimogemon's holes," Kanaye muttered. "Or do you not remember Hideki pushing us all in here?"
Everyone paused, trying to recall the moment. Before anymore silence could ensue, Kouichi quickly blurted, "Let's just get out and then we'll figure out what to do."
"You don't want to go out there with all those troops ready to kill you. Besides, it's already obvious what we should do, Kimura," Kanaye said quietly. Sighing as he saw all eyes turn towards him, Kanaye muttered, "We dig our way to Lucemon."
-------------------------------------
"Go away!" Kouji shouted, glaring at the persistent Piximon.
The pink digimon just cackled happily. "Come on! Lighten up! It's not good if you're so tense, yup, yup! You'll drop your guard in battle!" he informed the bandana boy.
Kouji retorted, "Says you! Same thing happens if you're relaxed like that!"
"Care to test that?"
"What?" Boy turned to digimon with confused eyes. Piximon's eyes held a certain glint in them, one Kouji wasn't sure about. Cautiously, he shook his head. "We...shouldn't be fighting each other," he said, hoping the excuse would work.
Piximon just went back to cackling. "Smart. Yup, yup!"
He's getting on my nerves, Kouji thought, sending a sideways glare at the digimon who was now beside him.
They had made it out of the gray copy of his house, only to wind up on the repetitive streets of his mind. Kouji wasn't even sure if it was his mind or his consciousness, and so simply replied that he didn't know where they were when Piximon asked again and again.
"So where are we again?" asked Piximon almost randomly.
Kouji stopped in his tracks and sent a withering glare towards the digimon. "Do you have a death wish?" he demanded venomously.
That same glint reappeared in Piximon's eyes. Gleefully, he drew back and cried, "Nope! I think you do!" Flying a bit higher, he pointed his staff at Kouji and yelled, "Psy bomb!"
The boy's eyes widened as he saw the attack coming for him. Yet something seemed wrong. Kouji prayed his observations were correct and stayed where he was, not wanting to get hit. The attack flew past his shoulder and landed in front of what seemed like feet.
"WHAT. THE. HELL?" someone screamed.
Kouji's eyes widened, realizing whom the voice belonged to. NO, he thought, horrified at the prospect. Anyone but...
"Great, so I suppose Duskmon possessed Piximon, too?" Kako growled, eyeing the spot where the attack had hit in a disgusted manner. "I'm stuck with murderers."
"I'd hug you but you'd kill me," Kouji croaked, turning around and trying to keep a straight face. "So why are you here?"
Kako's eyes narrowed on him, almost filled with doubt. "Kou...ji...?" she asked.
Scowling, the bandana boy snapped, "No duh? Do I look like Kouichi to you?"
Looking troubled, Kako shook her head and began to explain, "Well...not exactly, but Duskmon was possessing you and-...am I dreaming?" She trailed off and began pinching her arm. "I'm dreaming-OW! So I'm not dreaming...?" Kako looked up at Kouji. "Okay, then what's with Piximon?"
"You can have him!" Kouji yelled, grabbing Piximon's foot and sending the digimon hurtling through the air into Kako, who caught the pink digimon with both hands.
"Hey! Digimon abuser!" Kako and Piximon said in accusing voices, both glaring at Kouji.
"See?" Kouji grinned. You two even act alike. He jerked his head down the street. "You know it goes in one big circle, right?" he asked Kako.
"Really?" Kako asked, obviously interested by this discovery. "Where are we, then? This kind of looks like Kouichi's street," observed the girl, taking another look at her surroundings.
"It's...complicated," replied Kouji through gritted teeth. "Just know that there's currently no way out. At least, not that I know of." He muttered the last part mostly to himself.
Kako frowned. "We have to wait?"
"Yeah." Kouji started forward when suddenly he was grabbed back. Scowling, he demanded, "What?"
"You have your D-Tector," Kako said flatly, pointing to Kouji's hand.
"Uhh...yeah..."
Furiously, Kako shouted, "So digivolve!"
"It isn't that simple! I don't know where Lobomon is!" Kouji retorted hotly. "Stop acting like you know everything!"
Before he could turn around again, he felt someone hit his head. Looking up, Kouji discovered a discontent Piximon, but it was Kako who spoke.
"No, Kouji. You stop acting like you know everything. People who care about you are suffering seeing Duskmon in your body! Lobomon is inside of you. We're technically inside of you. There's more than this gray imitation of Kouichi's street! You just won't open up!" she shouted. "And if you don't..." Kako looked around the street and broke into a run, yelling after her, "I'm going to make you!"
Kouji watched her, watched as Piximon flew after her. What she said had made complete sense, and yet none. He was his own consciousness, thrown aside by Duskmon. He was stuck in his own thoughts.
Thoughts. He had thought he had solved everything. He had thought he went over every aspect of his plans, thought he had gone over ever detail and planned everything correctly.
He had thought things would go his way.
His thoughts had been wasted on unnecessary things. He had limited them to one area, just one possibility. One...street.
Streets expanded. Streets had twists and turns. No matter what, there was another way out. Kouji paused and stared at his feet. "Maybe it is time...to open up," he mumbled, shutting his eyes with a sigh.
He really hadn't changed much at all. Not yet, anyway.
-------------------------------------
"I'm tired..." Shinya whined. "Do we have any food? Or water? My feet hurt!"
"SHINYA, SHUT UP!" his brother snapped.
"Takuya!" Izumi exclaimed in a hushed voice, quietly reprimanding the boy for several minutes while Shinya went on complaining.
Finally, unable to stand the chatter, Kanaye said in a reasonable, while harsh, voice, "Just shut up and we'll be safe. That is, unless you prefer having your eyes gauged out by flying serpents." After a pause, he said, "Isn't that right, Kimura?"
"Hnnn...?" Kouichi turned to look at Kanaye, eyes half-lidded with sleep.
"I said we have to shut up if we want to be safe," Kanaye repeated.
Nodding, Kouichi mumbled, "Right...sure."
Letting a wry smile show, Kanaye asked with almost mocking kindness, "Have we lost you to sleep?"
"If you've lost me already, everyone else has been long gone," Kouichi replied with a forced smile as he gestured around him.
Kanaye stopped, seeing almost half of the group leaning against the walls of the hole. "Maybe we should stop," he said, clearing his throat, looking almost embarrassed. I guess not many normal people pull all-nighters...
Kouichi nodded. "We could all use a little rest. You don't look top shape yourself." He added a grin to the statement.
The other boy scowled. He took a step forward and declared, "I'm going to keep watch ahead," but a hand stopped him.
"I've got it," Kouichi insisted, pushing Kanaye back and walking ahead.
Frowning at the sight of this, Kanaye mentally reminded himself to check up on Kouichi in five minutes. It wouldn't do for the scout to be asleep on the job.
-------------------------------------
Kouji kept his eyes down as they continued through the endless streets that had suddenly opened themselves up. Kako and Piximon were ahead of him, laughing and skipping and flying as they explored the unseen recesses of his mind. In a way, he would have preferred to just tell them, rather than show them.
"So what's this place?" Kako asked, peering through the glass window into an empty shop.
"It's...just another street," Kouji muttered, trying not to look up. Inadvertently, he did, but quickly caught himself.
"And the park over there?"
"It's just a place! Kako, would you get a move on it?" Kouji snapped, finally looking up and glaring at the girl.
She just shook her head. "You're still not opening up. Lobomon could be anywhere, Kouji. Oh, look. Another street is closing up..." Sighing, Kako stopped and looked back over her shoulder. "Kouji, honestly, can't you just stop acting like a lone act and make friends or something?"
"I...have friends," Kouji stuttered, surprised at this attack.
Kako simply shrugged. "Sure."
"I do!" he insisted.
"And who was your very first friend...?" Kako asked smugly.
"Uhh..." Kouji stopped and reddened. There's no way I can say Takuya's a friend. Or Izumi, or Tomoki, or Junpei...It's too weird. And Kouichi's my brother. They don't count! Yet, a small voice in the back of his head asked, And why not?
With a sigh of defeat, Kouji mumbled incomprehensibly. Kako stared at him in surprise. "What?"
"I don't know!" Kouji shouted. "I don't know! I don't know why I can't share anything about me with anyone, I don't know why I can't count my friends as friends, I don't know why I'm so alone. I just am. Is that so hard to explain?" He stared at her, furious and angry with himself, trying to be angry with her, but it didn't work. He wasn't angry.
He felt relieved.
He continued softly, "I can't open myself up to anyone, I can't without feeling awkward. I don't want to feel awkward. I want to feel safe, and the only way I can do that is if I don't trust anyone."
Kako stared for a while, confusion stark on her face. She frowned, trying to come to a consensus with herself. "Uh...that's great, Kouji," the girl finally said, placing a hand on his shoulder and then wheeling him around. "How about we get going...?" She looked awkward.
Kouji bit his lower lip and stopped in his tracks. Then, out of nowhere, he threw his head back and laughed.
Startled, Piximon flew up to Kako and whispered, "Is he insane?"
"He's quite the madman if you ask me," Kako muttered, taking several steps back and regarding Kouji in amusement. "Quite the madman..."
And throughout the gray darkness, laughter echoed.
-------------------------------------
A/N-
I don't like the idea of cutting it short here, but that's too bad. I've been swamped with finals work (upcoming week is our last day of school: yeah!) because teachers are crazy, math is insane, chem is weird, and lit is more drama than lit, considering my teacher has been teaching drama previous years before this year, which is her first year of teaching a single literature class. Art, we finished our final, French I've got to memorize the oral portion (we finished our writing portion last week), and I do believe either my brother got me sick or it's allergies. Maybe a mix. History's covered for the most part, but I've got to finish summer work and study anyway. The AP book is boooring...Hehe. So the consequence of this plus playing video games (I finally got KH2 and played for 6-ish hours) is less fanfic time. I've also got to transfer my tapes to DVDs. That can wait for the summer. I think. Meep.
So sorry, but I appreciate everyone who reviewed, those people being: GemmaniGirl, x.XWeirdxnxWiseX.x-
The story seems to be going nowhere...:hits computer:. but I'll be working on it. I hate conclusions.
Review or PM or Flame.